


At First Sight

by AwokenMonster



Category: Are You The One? (Season 8), Are you the one?
Genre: For The Jax Fans, M/M, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-06 09:55:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20505047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwokenMonster/pseuds/AwokenMonster
Summary: This is the ending Jax deserves; the reunion of the cast.And my last Jax fanfictionMax/JustinRemy/PaigeRated T for the show's nature





	At First Sight

**Author's Note:**

> Monster: Hi guys. I expected Jax to be a no-match but that didn't mean it hurt any less to see Max like that in this episode and I really do wish Justin would've been less... emotionless about it. I'm only angry about two things Justin did; his jealousy towards Amber and Kylie was disrespectful as fuck and the preview of him and Amber in the boom boom room was infuriating.  
I'm a guy too and I've been dating my first boyfriend for about 4 years now. I'm around their age and Justin's need to fuck Amber after dating Max disgusts me to no end. You don't need sex to know if someone's right for you. Get that through your skull.  
Other than those two things, I'm not mad at Justin. He's dealing with it the way he does and it's probably the show's editing that's making him seem more like the villain for the narrative.  
I think there's gonna be two types of Jax fans this week. The Maxes; the people who deny the no-match ever happened to keep on shipping happy little Jax (like me) and the Justins; the people who want to see next episode as soon as possible to move on from this shitshow.  
I will always ship Jax. I've never needed permission to ship a couple, whether they're still together or not. I mean - I've been writing fanfiction for Hollywood Undead since 2013 lol. This might be my last AYTO fic, not sure, depends on what's next for Jax, but if it is my last one, then I'm happy to end it in a more wholesome way than "we need to cut this off".  
Enjoy!
> 
> Most of this fic was written to Lost by Our Mirage and while it's a relevant song to Jax, it's a sad vibe and I aimed for a bittersweet, if not happy, vibe.
> 
> I respect it if they're no longer together in real life, but it's not illegal to ship them, still ^-^

“Remember what I said”, Amber stared at Max through the mirror. Max was leaning against the doorpost with arms crossed and rolled his eyes. “Come on.”

“No, I wanna hear you say it”, the smaller girl frowned, leaning in to apply her makeup. “If you say it, I’ll know we’re on the same page.”

Max let his head fall back with a groan. He took a deep breath before he blurted out: “I’m not gonna glomp Justin like a fragile little lost puppy who sees his first boyfriend for the first time again. I’m not gonna kiss him and God forbid I’ll go home with him. Can we go now?”

Amber pointed the mascara brush at him in the mirror in a threatening gesture. “Remember that when we arrive.”

“I’m not gonna ignore him”, Max grumbled. “I can still say hi.”

“Yes, but not with your body”, Amber winked before smirking at her own little joke.

Max glared back at her. “Who said hi to him with her body in the last week of the game again?”

“Oh come on, you were broken up so it wasn’t like I was breaking a rule. You wanted us to be a match so that you could get away from Justin and Kari”, Amber argued.

“Hooking up with a friend’s ex should be illegal”, Max muttered. “I should’ve fucked Justin, Nour, Jenna and Kylie. Your line up of love interests in the house.”

“You did fuck Justin”, Amber shrugged. “Multiple times. Weren’t we over this argument already?”

“You brought it up again by treating me like I’m gonna fuck Justin in the set’s backstage bathroom”, Max said. He stepped closer to look at himself in the mirror. He had picked out this outfit a while ago and wanted to look on point for the reunion episode.

Not for Justin, not for his match, not for anyone. He just wanted to look good for himself and let Justin know what he’d been missing out on. Shit, he just admitted he did it for Justin, didn’t he? Scratch that. He wanted to look good for himself. Yeah… It had been months since the AYTO events on Hawaii. Max didn’t give two flying shits about a relationship with Justin today. He loved him back then. It was in the past. Justin was his very much respected and loved first boyfriend who was now a respected ex. Yes, that was it.

Who was he even trying to convince at this point?

“Promise me you won’t end up with Justin?” Amber pouted at him. Max rolled his eyes. “I’m not gonna promise that because it’s stupid. Not because I’d end up with him but because you make it sound like I’ll ditch you.”

She reached out to hug him, cheek pressed against his chest as she said: “I just worry about you when I see just how deep your feelings ran during the show. Like, some people don’t get over that in a few months.”

“I’m not some people”, Max promised. “I can take care of myself. Whether that’s with or without Justin. I don’t need you breathing down my neck when I say hi to him.”

Amber pulled away. “Fine. You ready to head down and record this reunion?”

“Yes!”

***

“Promise me.”

Justin looked up and raised an eyebrow, pulling his shirt over his head as he got ready to leave. “Promise you what?”

“That you won’t do it”, Remy cocked his head and gave Justin a onceover. “And change that shirt, you left your bad wardrobe in Hawaii, remember?”

Justin rolled his eyes and changed his shirt again, grumbling under his breath. “That I won’t do what, though?”

“You know what I’m referring to”, Remy gave him a look. Justin hummed, walking closer to Remy who fixed his look in the mirror. He put an arm around his shoulder, staring at the two of them in the mirror. “Hmm I suppose you’re referring to a confirmed no-match couple getting back together, my perfect match.”

“Yes, I am”, Remy said.

Justin smirked. “Remy and Paige?”

Remy lost all sass in his posture when he whipped his head to look at Justin. “What about me and Paige? We weren’t… Not after the truth booth. Like, there’s nothing there. You know that.”

“Oh but there is”, Justin argued. “So instead of assuming I’m gonna fall for Max again, you could have a look at yourself. You fell for Paige when you saw her again for the first time since the game.”

Remy shrugged. “Okay, that’s true. Sue me for having feelings.”

Once both guys were done getting ready, they left the hotel room. Remy locked it and kept the key in his pocket. Justin wanted to object but Remy was already making his way to the elevator. “I’m keeping the key so you won’t sneak off with Max after we’re done there.”

“Come on. I wouldn’t be that stupid”, Justin objected.

“Right, no, you wouldn’t be able to wait until you’re back here. Backstage bathroom?”

“Shut up”, Justin complained. “I’m not you.”

When the doors to the elevator opened, Remy saw Paige and Kari there, keeping a straight face as he stood next to them. Paige cast a glance at Justin and then at Remy. “What were you talking about?”

“Nothing”, Justin cut it off but Remy couldn’t help himself. “About how Justin’s probably gonna fuck Max in the backstage bathroom if they meet again.”

Justin sighed annoyed when Kari said: “I give them an hour before that happens.”

“Two minutes”, Paige chimed in.

“Hey, I have self-restraint, okay?!” Justin complained.

“Justin, come on, take away the pressure of the game and the distance and you guys are back together”, Remy chuckled, Paige and Kari humming in agreement.

“It’s been months since I’ve seen him. I’m probably just gonna nod his way to say hello and walk away”, Justin said.

“Suuuure.”

“It’s true! Too much has happened for us to still be so in sync as a couple.”

***

Besides the fact everyone was looking stunning tonight to record the reunion and they were received so well, there was a lot of screaming and hugging going on. People who hadn’t seen each other in months that suddenly reconnected. People were talking, laughing and sharing stuff that had happened to them in the course of the past few months.

They talked about how the experience of seeing themselves on tv had been. They talked about their families watching the show, about getting to know their perfect match. There was so much clamour in the room that it seemed like the conversation would never end and silence was too far out of reach at that point.

Amber and Max arrived to be attacked by Jonathan, Basit, Nour and Brandon. They didn’t know who to talk to first, what to say first besides “So good to see you again!” or “I’ve missed seeing y’all!”.

Amber was in the middle of talking about the prank she pulled on Max when Max looked past Basit to see Justin talking to Kylie. He tapped Amber’s shoulder. “I’m just gonna go say hi.”

Amber craned her neck to see who he was pointing at and pulled Max back by his arm. “No. No. No, you’re not. Stay here. I’m coming with you in a minute.”

“I’m _just_ gonna say hi!” Max complained, pulling himself free to walk forward, saying hi to everyone he passed in his wake before coming to a halt when Kari jumped out in front of him. “Shade King!”

Max laughed at the stupid name. At the sound of his laughter, Justin looked up to see Max talking to Kari. Kylie followed his gaze and smiled. “Go say hi.”

“You’re probably the only one who hasn’t told me to stay away from him”, Justin said, to which she chuckled, before he walked closer to the pair. Kari turned to look at Justin and took a few steps back. “I bet you guys have a lot to catch up on…”

Justin skimmed Max, taking in the way he looked with a more prominent beard than he rocked on the show and his hair longer and bleached. He seemed broader, older, stronger. It was impressive how much he’d changed.

Max could see Justin was happier than he’d been when they first met. He seemed to have grown as a person as well. He didn’t recognize the asshole who had been jealous of Amber and Kylie within 24 hours of him and Max getting their no-match stamp. He only saw someone he didn’t expect to see. Someone he loved. Maybe still loved.

“I just wanted to say hi”, Justin said. Max nodded. “Me too.”

Not sure who started it, but Max found himself hugging Justin and Justin had his arms wrapped around Max like he was afraid he’d vanish if he didn’t. It was so much more than a simple hi. It held everything they’d been through and it held the promise that the drama was over. They were okay and they were going to be okay.

“You know I’ll always love you”, Max said.

Justin pressed his nose into Max’ hair. “Without the distance between us – you in LA, me in NY – I’m pretty sure we would’ve dated after the show.”

“For sure”, Max smiled, not that Justin could see it.

Further in the room Paige elbowed Remy. “Told you I’d give them two minutes.”

“They’re not in the bathroom”, Remy argued. “I was scared of Justin going on a rebound rampage with Max now that the entire thing is over, I’ll admit that.”

Paige hummed, taking in the view of Max and Justin talking to one another. One of their hands still connected as they had parted ways in the hug. Both seemed happy with the outcome of all of it, despite the drama. Both seemed to glow like two bright lights in the room. Like not one beam, but two. Maybe the matchmakers _were_ wrong and a perfect match is not a person you find perfectly made like a freshly baked cake for you. Maybe a perfect match was someone who was willing to put an effort into becoming everything you wanted and needed in a person.

Remy leaned his head to Paige. “But. I don’t think we’re seeing a rebound rampage. I think this is love.”

“Love at first sight since we all got back”, Paige agreed. “Sounds familiar”, she side-glanced Remy and he smiled. “We’re not the only ones getting a happily ever after.”

All of the drama, the Twitter feuds, the things previously unknown that were revealed in the past few episodes, all of the resentment, the hatred and the pain. It all fell into a void when they remembered the love, care and connection they shared. That’s what it meant to always have love for one another, even if you’re technically 'not a match'.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment, they're our heavy fuel.
> 
> Max is really a beautiful human being. So is Justin but I'm still a little mad about his Amber obsession. I knew from the first time I saw Max' picture that I'd be his fanboi no matter what happened. After last episode, I felt like both Danny and Max were two people nobody in the house deserved to even look at. But it's been months since those events and clearly everyone's cooled down now so Imma stick to shipping the ship that sunk.


End file.
